PROGRESSIVE AGRICULTURE. 241 



the plow. Daniel "Webster stands, perhaps, in this country 

 next to Jefferson, as being the one to whom we are indebted 

 for great strides in the development and progress of the 

 plow. 



Then, coming to more recent years, it is within the memory 

 of all of us here that one of the successful plows in the 

 present generation is the invention of Governor Holbrook, 

 who, perhaps, perfected the geometrical demonstration of the 

 construction of mould-boards, so that any number of plows 

 could be made of a given size for a given purpose, and they 

 would all be alike. So we see in the progress of agriculture, 

 as illustrated by the plow, some of our most eminent Ameri- 

 can statesmen — men whom we would hardly expect to 

 devote their time and talents to this purpose — doing for us a 

 very great service. 



I think that we must all recognize the plow as the most 

 important implement of agriculture. The stirring of the 

 soil and the operation of pulverization by the use of a single 

 implement lies at the basis of all our agricultural industry, 

 and the plow therefore is our most important implement. 

 I thought it was as good an example as I could take to follow 

 up the very interesting paper with which Mr. Brooks has 

 opened this discussion. 



The Chairman. Has any other gentleman any remarks to 

 offer on this subject, or is there any one whom you desire to 

 hear? If you will name him, I will call him out. 



Mr. Houghton. I suppose this is about the last time we 

 shall have an opportunity to hear from oilir Secretary. You 

 know, Mr. Chairman, that everybody likes to hear him. 

 [Applause.] 



Secretary Russell. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentle- 

 men, — I think it is rather unkind in my good friend from 

 Sutton to remind you and me that this is probably one of 

 the last times that I shall have the pleasure of standing 

 before these assemblies. 



Mr. Houghton. You are going up higher. That is what 

 I had in mind. 



Secretary Russell. No, sir ; nobody rises from agricul- 

 ture. Men boast of going higher when they become place- 

 men or politicians, but it is not a rise. The noblest pursuit 



